GOP takes away rights

Tuesday

Apr 30, 2013 at 12:01 AM

Editor: Time and again I've read on The Dispatch opinion page letters to the editor accusing President Obama of gradually taking away our rights as U.S. citizens. Little to no mention was made as to which rights are being eroded. Truth is you don't have to look all the way to Washington, D.C., to know which rights are being threatened. You can see it happening just 100 miles east of here, in Raleigh.

Editor: Time and again I've read on The Dispatch opinion page letters to the editor accusing President Obama of gradually taking away our rights as U.S. citizens. Little to no mention was made as to which rights are being eroded. Truth is you don't have to look all the way to Washington, D.C., to know which rights are being threatened. You can see it happening just 100 miles east of here, in Raleigh.Republicans took control of the N.C. General Assembly in 2010 and maintained that control in last year's election, which also added a Republican governor. Here are a just a few of the rights you have lost or will soon lose: 1. Voter ID, which will suppress voter turnout.2. Fewer days of early voting further suppressing voter turnout.3. Diverting public school money ($90 million) and giving the funds for vouchers to private schools. 4. Eliminating newspaper ads notifying the public of upcoming public business (in certain areas of the state) and hiding these notices away in government websites (you can blame Republican state Sen. Tommy Tucker. Remember: "I am the senator. You are the citizen. You need to be quiet.").These are just a few of the short-sighted, narrow-minded, ridiculous views of those holding the power in Raleigh. Even one loony legislator proposed allowing the state/counties/cities to declare an official religion. To misquote that great American, Waylon Jennings, "Republicans do know how to carry on." Glenn PayneLexington